This Torch I've Been Carrying
by netgirly2k
Summary: The Doctor's companion was the girl he'd rescued from the Martian ice cells and in years to come she'd be the woman who'd steal a sonic blaster from a Time Agentcumcon artist.


Jack Harkness first met Sarah Jane Smith in early twenty first century London. He'd been planning to pass off the Chula ambulance he'd picked up as a warship to some of the more gullible members of the Time Agency. He'd arrived in the right time and place only to find that the city was over-run with Cybermen and flying, shooting pepper pots, time to get out and try his scam again somewhere safer. For example the Somme, 1916.

He was almost back to his 'borrowed' Time Ship when he heard a female scream. Jack was not what you would call a naturally heroic individual but saving damsels in distress was always worth the effort, they tended to be very grateful.

Jack pulled out his sonic blaster and rounded the corner in the direction of the scream. He found a woman, dark hair, worldly eyes, probably middle aged by the standards of this backwards century but still gorgeous. Ah, Jack could practically feel the gratitude already. He aimed his blaster at the two Cybermen that had backed the woman against the wall and shot, they juddered and collapsed onto the concrete, nothing more than scrap metal.

He looked at the woman and struck his best dashing Time Agent pose, waiting for her to throw herself into his arms. She smiled at him, reached out.

"Don't mind if I borrow this, do you?" without waiting for an answer she snatched the blaster from his hands and disappeared around the corner without so much as a thank you kiss. So much for gratitude.

Jack decided that he would try the Chula warship scam again somewhere else, perhaps the Second World War. Handsome soldiers in tight fitting uniforms would probably go a long way towards cheering him up.

---

Sarah Jane first met Jack Harkness on Mars. Just a quick side trip on the way back to the Earth the Doctor had said, just to prove to Harry that he could navigate the TARDIS properly. Before anyone could say 'oops, wrong turn' the Ice Warriors had dragged the Doctor and Harry away and shoved Sarah into this cell.

Not knowing if she would ever see them again she thought fondly of the Doctor and Harry, actually she thought more fondly of the Doctors thick woollen scarf, it really was very cold in this cell.

"Rose, are you in there?" Sarah scrambled to her feet, slipping on the icy floor. She found herself facing a tall, dark haired man whose very white smile faded as soon as he laid eyes on her.

"Expecting someone else?"

"Sorry, wrong cell," he made to close the door.

"Hey! Hang on there."

"Sorry, did you want out?"

Sarah shivered, "just a bit."

"Captain Jack Harkness." The man Sarah had mentally been calling Captain America introduced himself, holding the cell door open for her.

"Sarah Jane Smith," Sarah replied grudgingly. She was a bit miffed to discover that she was following Jack, of course not having a clue what the Ice Warriors might have done with the Doctor and Harry she didn't really have much choice.

Jack paused to peer round a corner and held his arm out to keep Sarah behind him. "So what's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?"

"My friends and I had a bit of a misunderstanding with the Ice Warriors."

"I know the feeling. Where are these friends of yours?"

"There you are Sarah!" with his usual impeccable sense of timing Harry hurried up the corridor of the ice palace. "Thank goodness you're alright, we were so worried."

"I'm alright, Harry. Oh, Harry, this is Jack, he got me out of my cell."

Harry shook Jack's hand vigorously. "I say, old chap, we can't thank you enough. If you need to get away from this place I'm sure our friend wouldn't mind me offering you a seat."

"Another time, but right now I've got some more heroic rescues to pull off." He winked at Sarah and she scoffed.

Sarah and Harry turned and headed away. "Hey," they were stopped by Jack's voice. "I don't get a thank you kiss?"

Harry stepped between Sarah and Jack, "Now I really don't think-"

He was cut off by Jack taking his face between his hands and planting a kiss on his lips. "I wasn't asking Sarah."

Jack turned and ran in the opposite direction leaving Harry turning scarlet and spluttering something about Americans.

Sarah didn't think she'd ever stop laughing.

---

Jack looked in wonder at the blue police box that was materialising in the Torchwood hub. All those years Torchwood had spent hunting the Doctor down and suddenly you couldn't move for TARDISes appearing all over the place.

The door opened and out came a sixteen foot scarf. The scarf was wearing a curly haired man.

"Hello, I'm the Doctor." This incarnation of the Doctor had an oversized grin and popping eyes, add them to the whopping nose and ears of the first Doctor Jack had met and you'd have a decent Picasso painting.

"I'm Captain Jack Harkness."

The Doctor carried on as if Jack hadn't spoken, "and this is my best friend Sarah Jane Smith. Say hello, Sarah Jane."

"We've met," said the girl who'd followed the Doctor out of the TARDIS. Jack didn't need her to tell him that, in all his centuries he'd never forgotten a face. The Doctor's companion was the girl he'd rescued from the Martian ice cells and in years to come she'd be the woman who'd steal a sonic blaster from a Time Agent-cum-con artist.

"Jack was the one that rescued me back on Mars."

"Well I'm sure I appreciate that Mr Harkness, but right now I'm a bit more interested in this organisation of yours that appears to be dedicated to destroying me."

"We're not anymore, I've changed it, rebuilt it. And they never managed to destroy you."

"It was Queen Victoria," said Sarah, who'd wandered over to the wall and was reading the Torchwood mission statement. Jack sighed; he'd been meaning get Ianto to take that down. "Apparently she thought you were a menace to the British Empire."

"Me, a menace? I think it's time I went and had a word with good old Queen Victoria. Come along, Sarah."

Sarah rolled her eyes and followed the Doctor to the TARDIS. "What he means is that he'll aim for Victorian times and we'll end up two hundred years in the future somewhere east of Saturn."

"Hey, I never got my kiss."

Sarah turned, grinned and tossed him a wrapped paper packet. "Have a jelly baby instead."

---

"Smith residence."

"I'm looking for Sarah Jane."

"Mum, there's a man on the phone for you!"

There was the sound of fumbling in the background as Sarah Jane took the phone from Luke. Jack thinks he likes the fact that Sarah Jane is a mother; it's reassuring that not everyone who travels with the Doctor ends up accidentally immortal or trapped in a parallel universe.

"Hello."

"It's me."

"Jack, a long forgotten evil isn't rampaging through Cardiff again is it?"

"No. You were just here though. You and the Doctor, I asked you for a kiss and you gave me a bag of jelly babies."

"I remember that day. He was my favourite, I know it's the same man and I shouldn't feel differently about them. But he was my favourite. My Doctor."

"What are you doing this weekend?"

"Why, do you want to share your sweets with me?"

"Maybe. Maybe I just want that sonic blaster you stole from me back."

"Well, I still have the basic component, but I really don't think you want it back."

"Why's that?"

"You don't strike me as much of a lipstick man."


End file.
